Sharing my journey as a mother, wife, homemaker, Jesus girl, entrepreneur and all things in between!
Our small little town has the most fabulous upscale consignment boutique called Sassy Girls! The sweet owner, Celeste, works hard to curate the most beautiful collections and absolutely adores all things Kate Spade.
Recently, she was throwing a party to celebrate the anniversary of her ownership of the business and she asked me to design a cake and cookies for her customers to enjoy.
In true Kate Spade fashion, we went with gold, stripes and florals! I have been dying to try the “fault line” cake trend and this was a great opportunity to practice it.
For the cookies, I grabbed up this PERFECT Ann Clark cutter set and went to town, keeping with the same color scheme throughout.
Am I totally crazy for envying a fake cookie purse?! Seriously love this black quilted handbag!
And here is the precious owner, proudly rocking her gorgeous goodies! If you are local, you must go check them out!
My first pregnancy destroyed my ability to wear much of a heel. Not to mention, carting around a toddler and now being super pregnant with baby number 2! This mama needs practical shoes that I can function in, but I still like to look cute! No one wants to live in a rut of clogs and tennis shoes all the time.
To make life easier for you, I pulled a few looks that I am loving! They up your outfit game instantly, but are practical and easy to wear for our real life days!
While it’s still cool out, I am all about the bootie!
These are absolutely adorable! With practically no heel, they dress up jeans or leggings (or heck, even a skirt!) but still allow you to walk. Which is a huge plus in my book!
A subtle peep toe is also fun as the weather warms up! These DO have a heel, but its chunky and stable. Plus they are available in three colors!
Last up, THESE fringe booties! I am in love. They are available in a ton of colors, super comfortable, and add interest to literally any outfit! Disclaimer: Do order a size up! They run small.
Gone are the days when the word “flats” meant literally ballet style shoes 24/7! There are so many fun ways to wear flats now that up your style but keep your heels on the ground.
These basket-weave mules are adorable! You can totally wear them with jeans or dress them up for something a little more fancy. The padded sole is also a huge plus, making them super comfy for all-day wear!
T-strap Espidrilles are a fun twist on the Mary Jane look! Incredibly comfortable on your feet, and the added security of the ankle strap will keep them put while you are on the go!
Want something a little more punchy?? I absolutely love a good animal print shoe! You literally can wear jeans and a t-shirt (or leggings!), and then throw on these shoes and upgrade your look!
Sometimes you just need a good pair of comfy sneakers to get the job done. All of these are stylish options that are functional, comfortable and stylish!
These Nude slip on Mules are awesome for running errands! Easy to just grab and go out the door, and perfect as the weather warms up!
Like I said before with the flats, if I am going to wear sneakers, sometimes bold prints can take it from “I just ran a marathon” to “Put together Mom!” These leopard print ones check all of my boxes!
TOMS Canvas Classics are a favorite go-to, and they support a fantastic cause! Extremely comfortable and easy to wear, if you haven’t tried TOMS yet, you need to. I am in love with this champagne pair!
Last, but so definitely not least in my book: rose gold Kate Spade Keds! Keds are a timeless brand, known for being practical and comfortable. The shimmer in these is to die for, and they are on my short list for my next birthday!
There you have it! My round up of awesome, functional shoes that help keep you out of the “mom rut” that we so easily fall into! Have another favorite shoe style? Tell us in the comments!
Chicken Pot Pie is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods! Especially the Marie Calendars frozen kind that you literally pop into the oven (guilty!). My husband and I have differing opinions on this dish, so I don’t make it super often.
The other day I was having a craving for it, but needed something that would not throw my sugar levels off (thanks Gestational Diabetes, for stealing my comfort food!). So I did what I do and found recipes, and then combined and tweaked them until I came up with something that I honestly think was SUPER delicious! The husband and the toddler both ate it up, so it must be good!
The best part? It was not super complicated to make and came together fairly easily. Major win for being able to simplify using my Crock Pot and Cast Iron Skillet too!
I went ahead and cooked the chicken (to pieces) in the crock pot on low the day before, simply because I had time. I shredded it and popped it into the fridge, and then threw this meal together at dinner time the next day. It was perfect and tender!
Just look at that crusty goodness!
Ingredients:
For the filling:
If you try it, make sure to post a picture and tag me on Instagram @Kisses.and.caffeine and/or use #kissesandcaffeine!
I have a terrible sweet tooth. Like, it is bad how much I would prefer to just eat dessert over “real” food sometimes. Unfortunately, that doesn’t jive well with Gestational Diabetes, so I have been forced to get creative! (This fantastic chocolate chip mug cookie, for example.) The really fun thing is that so many of these recipes overlap with just a general diabetic, low-carb lifestyle and some even Keto, so they can benefit anyone!
The other day I was craving cheesecake something fierce. I was already headed to the store, so I stocked up on a few things to try my hand at and went to town! This is one of the easiest things I have ever made, and it comes together in literal minutes. Check it out!
Ingredients:
Who doesn’t love succulents?? I do! They are having a major moment right now (and for the last few years) to be honest. I’ve had a few different requests for succulent cakes, but this one is by far my favorite design!
If you want to make a cake with this look, the first thing you need is a smooth base cake! Bake and then crumb coat your cake (apply a very thin layer of icing to the cake to seal in loose crumbs and chill your cake for at least 15 minutes). After your crumb coat firms up, you will want to ice the cake in thicker white icing, and then smooth using a cake scraper and turntable. I have a scraper like THIS and a turntable like THIS. it’s a game changer for smooth, straight cakes!.
After that, chill your cake and tint icing in a variety of shades, depending on what succulents you are thinking of doing. Practice using various tips (THIS is a fantastic collection with pretty much everything you need to get going!) to create different types of succulents on top of your cake. I make the rosette style on a flower nail and then chill and transfer to the cake.
That’s it! This little cake packs so much visual bang, but if you have basic cake skills it isn’t super hard to pull off!
Infertility is easily one of the hardest journeys that I have ever been asked to walk. For me, my journey only lasted a couple of years actively trying. But for women that I get to love on every day, some have been waiting for a decade or more. Some have depleted their finances. Some have never conceived. Some have conceived and lost (our story here if you aren’t familiar!). It is a pain like no other to have that desire in your heart and to feel like it is unfulfilled.
I never truly thought of the word “affliction” until this morning, though. I was reading my bible and almost glossed over the word. But then the Lord made me pause and really let that verse sink in. The very definition of the word means “to be troubled or distressed with mental, emotional or bodily pain.” So by this definition, I would absolutely consider infertility and miscarriage as an affliction.
But what a beautiful truth this verse brings out! The Lord hears our desires, even when it feels like He doesn’t. Not only does He hear us, but the Creator of the entire universe promises to strengthen our hearts and incline His ear.
I can honestly say that was a turning point for me in my infertility journey. I decided that I was going to submit the entire thing to Him, no matter how painful that it may be to relinquish my sense of control (which was totally something I made up, by the way! We have zero control). I decided instead to allow Him to strengthen my heart and work in my life. And after that decision and a time of growth, He blessed me with my sweet Addilyn! Now am I saying that doing this will guarantee a baby? Absolutely not! Everyone’s journey is different and God has a unique purpose for each of our seasons of pain. But I can tell you how freeing it was for me.
So, sweet friends, if you are in this season of waiting with empty arms, I want to encourage you. I encourage you to cling to this verse. Print it out and put it somewhere that you can see it. I know the months are long and they drag on, cycle after cycle. I know the pain that you endure. I know the sting of the questions and the prying. I know the ache that each baby announcement brings. I know your heart is weary and weak. Just know that you are heard. He will strengthen your heart. I pray that if I can be of any encouragement or help to you, that you will always reach out! (Facebook, Insta, Email)